This is the third in Stephenie Meyer's now extremely famous series about Bella and Edward. In Eclipse
the Cullens realise that Bella is threatened by Victoria; Bella struggles between Edward and Jacob; and Edward issues his terms for Bella to be turned into a vampire.This is the worst of the three. I struggled to reach the end, and found no tension at all in the last one hundred pages or so. I really disliked the story Jasper tells about the wars in the South and the newborn armies that are created - can anyone say 'info-dump'? Once again, Meyer needs something to create tension and so shoves it into the story with no sensitivity or appreciation for what has gone before.
I was very disappointed with the men in this book. Edward becomes even more controlling - literally, kidnapping his girlfriend to ensure she does what he wants. Issuing ultimatums. Just the kind of guy you would advise your girlfriend to get away from.
Jacob is just as bad. For someone who was so delightful to read about in parts of the second book, in this book his delusion about Bella's feelings and his refusal to accept what she is telling him leads him to sexually assault her.
Count me a person who is neither Team Jacob or Team Edward!
And then we come to Bella - a girl who is determined to create the most melodramatic life. Someone never satisfied with her current lot. After all, she describes Edward as the most perfect man and is convinced she wants to be with him forever, so much so she is willing to become a vampire (strange girl). However, she also yearns after Jacob - why? If Edward is so perfect what can Jacob possibly offer? She strings the two guys along and causes them both hurt unnecessarily. She has gone beyond annoying and whiny (as she was in books one and two) and is now dislikable.
Finally, I have a gripe that was present before but came to the fore in this book because there was so much more romantic action between Edward and Bella. I actually get turned off by the idea of a guy who is essentially a freezing rock. Those unyielding cold lips are about as unappealing as anything I can think of. When you struggle to realise where Bella's attraction for Edward stems from, there is little left in the books to enjoy.
I shall most certainly not be picking up the fourth and I am now only keeping the third book so that I can compare book to film when it comes out. After that the whole series will be going to the secondhand book store for someone else to endure!
I felt exactly the same way about the third book, I hated it. But my boyfriend had read the series before me and said I had to keep going, that trust him, it was worth it. And it really was! Eclipse was painful, but don't give up! Breaking Dawn was absolutely fantastic, and one of my favourite books I have ever read. I don't much care for Meyer's writing, that was one major issue I had with the whole Twilight series. But I had to keep reminding myself, if I am going to pick up novels for teenagers, then I can't complain. But all that changed with the fourth one, I found the suspense and the characterisation fantastic. The storyline was unrivalled by the other three books, a really good tale.
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